ForgetMeNot
by ZeldaDragon
Summary: Anakin and Padmé say goodbye after TPM. A "one shot" fic.


Padmé Amidala stood on the beach behind the massive palace that was her home. She was the queen of the planet Naboo, and while her people were at parties and balls (like the one she should be attending), Padmé was lost in thought. Her planet had just won a deadly battle for which they were unprepared, but she felt...incomplete, like there was still something wrong.

A wave broke over Padmé's feet, soaking the bottom of the dress she was wearing. She had long ago shed the heave robes she had worn for the Peace Declaration and ball. They were lying in a heap on the sand. Padmé moved her feet as more water rushed over her toes. She looked out at the sunset. The sky was turning a rosy pink, the sun bright orange. Padmé had forgotten just how beautiful and calming Naboo, especially the beach, could be.

"Your Highness?" The sudden voice broke her from her concentration.

"Please, Anakin, call me 'Padmé', you don't need to use those formal titles."

She could tell that there was something bothering the young boy, and asked him what it was.

"I'm just...gonna miss you," Anakin said truthfully after a moment, "You were-are-the best friend I've ever had. And now that I've left my mother, I feel...so...alone, I guess." 

"Oh, Ani, I'm going to miss you, too. You're such a sweet little boy." She felt something tugging at her heart, and knew, suddenly, why she felt strange earlier. She really was going to miss Anakin. She decided to change the subject.

"Isn't the sunset beautiful?" she asked.

"Yeah. But it's a little weird to only see one sun."

Padmé laughed. "I guess it would be a bit strange. Come over here. I doubt that you've ever seen an ocean before?"

"No, I haven't," Anakin answered hesitantly. 

"Well, come over here and get your feet wet!"

Anakin shook his head and said softly, "I don't like the water."

"Oh," was all Padmé said. Maybe he just needed some coaxing. "Get over here! The water feels good!"

Anakin just shook his head again.

"Please?" Padmé asked sweetly.

Reluctantly, Anakin gave in and walked up so that he was just out of the water's reach.

"Just a little closer?" Padmé asked, "It won't hurt you!" she joked.

Once again, the little boy shook his head.

"Here," Padmé held her hand out to him. Anakin eyed her fingers suspiciously before grasping them tightly with his own. Slowly he let her pull him to the waves.

Anakin yelped and tried to run away as the water tickled his toes, but Padmé's hold was not easily broken. Another wave ran over their feel, but Anakin didn't jump this time. Padmé could feel him relaxing. 

"See?" she asked, "Like I said before, the water feels good."

"Uh-huh," was the reply. The boy who said the words was entranced by the salty water swirling around his feet.

"Anakin!" the call came from within the palace, and both Anakin and Padmé startled at it.

"Just a minute, Master Obi-Wan!" Anakin called back.

"Okay, just don't take too long! I wanted to teach you meditation."

"Yes, Master." Anakin said, then to Padmé, "We're leaving early tomorrow. Master Obi-Wan wants me to rest."

"Well, remember to bring a blanket this time! It's quite cold on starships." Padmé joked.

Anakin just smiled half-heartedly. He seemed to be thinking about having to leave Padmé, just like he left his mother. The thought made him feel sick.

"Ani, are you all right?" Padmé asked, concerned.

"What? Oh, I'm fine," the last word was barely a whisper. Anakin looked back down at his now water engulfed feet. Tide was coming in.

Padmé could tell that he was confused. She couldn't blame him for it. Gently, she wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer to her.

"Don't worry, Anakin. Everything will be okay." Padmé said in a comforting voice.

"It's not that," Anakin said, leaning against Padmé as she hugged him, "I'm...just afraid that you'll forget about me."

"Anakin! I could never forget about you, even if I wanted to!" Padmé said sincerely. "You have a place in my heart that no one else has or ever will have. I could never, ever forget you."

"Do you promise?" Anakin asked, staring up at her with unbelieving eyes.

"I promise. With all my heart."

Padmé really did mean that, Anakin could tell. He knew now that two people really loved him: his mother and Padmé. Knowing that made him stronger.

"You had better go inside now, or Obi-Wan will come looking for you." Padmé said as she let go of him.

"Okay," Anakin sounded sad, "I'll say good-bye now, then.

"No, Ani, don't say that," Padmé said quickly, "it sounds too final. We'll see each other again."

Anakin knew it was true. He turned to look back out at the ocean as even more water rushed to cover his feet. He wanted to remember everything about this moment.

"Oh! Look at this!" Padmé exclaimed, "It's a shell, actually, a little conch shell." She bent over and picked it up.

"Wow," Anakin said. He had never seen a shell before.

"Here, hold it up to your ear; you can hear the ocean."

Anakin did as she told and held the small shell up to his ear. He was amazed that he really could hear the waves. Once he was done listening, he handed the shell back to Padmé

"No, you keep it." she insisted. "That way, you'll always remember the ocean."

"Really? I can keep it?" Anakin could hardly believe his ears. He had never been given anything before, save a few things from his mother.

Padmé was about to reply when Obi-Wan's voice sounded once again from the palace, telling Anakin to hurry.

"Thank you, Padmé,"

He looked like he was about to cry, so Padmé bent down and kissed his cheek. Anakin blushed a deep red, which he was glad she couldn't see; the sun had nearly hidden itself from view.

"I'll see you again soon." Padmé was still bent down to look into Anakin's blue eyes, "Goodnight, Ani."

"Goodnight...Angel." Anakin said before he turned to go back inside. As he looked back over his shoulder, he saw that Padmé had turned to see the last of the sunset. He knew that she was crying, as a tear of his own escaped and ran down his cheek.

He really was going to miss her as he started his new life.


End file.
